Meet a trio of Irish legends

Ronnie Whelan, John Aldridge and Jim Beglin all wore the Red shirt with distinction and helped bring silverware to Anfield. Now you can meet the trio at a special LFC Irish Legends night on Saturday, October 24.

The star-studded event will be hosted by Nicky Allt of 'One Night In Istanbul' fame and also includes the launch of 'The Irish Kop' book, which details the long-standing links between the Emerald Isle and the Reds.
 
Merseyside-born Marcus Maher is the brains behind the evening which will be hosted at the Adelphi Hotel in the city centre and is part of the month long annual Liverpool Irish Festival.
 
"I originally come from Old Swan in Liverpool but am now working as a teacher in Dublin," Maher explained. "I've been involved with the festival for a few years now and putting this production together was an ambition of mine.
 
"The city has always had links to Ireland. Having lived on both sides of the Irish Sea I can safely say there are a lot of similarities, from the attitudes to the words that Scouse and Irish people use.
 
"The Festival celebrates that and we hope this night is going to be one of the major events of the programme."
 
Bringing it all together wasn't an easy task but Maher managed to do so along with some help from the You'll Never Walk Alone Irish Reds Supporters' Group.
 
"The idea of doing something with the players during the festival had been discussed before but never happened.
 
"I felt we could do it and got in touch with the YNWA Irish Reds who are based in The Submarine Bar in Crumlin in Dublin," he said. "The lads there have a huge passion for the club and felt the night would be really popular.
 
"You only have to look at how many fans turned up in Cork during the summer to see the reserve team play Dunmanway. It was visible proof of just how much Liverpool are loved in Ireland."
 
That affection was part of the appeal for the three ex-players who will attend.
 
"Getting the lads to agree wasn't too difficult although it took me a while to contact them," he explains with a chuckle.
 
"Once they heard it was part of The Irish Festival they all wanted to be involved. I had Ronnie ringing me about it and Aldo was only too happy to come along.
 
"We've also got plans to do a live video link with another special Irish Red so if that goes ahead it would be brilliant and add even more to what is already a superb line-up."
 
For those readers who regularly mark our big fixtures on the calendar it won't go unnoticed that the Legends Night takes place the day before Manchester United visit Anfield.
 
"When we looked at potential dates the weekend of the United game was absolutely perfect," Maher recalls. "It was as if the fixture Gods had been smiling on us.
 
"There will be loads of Irish fans coming over for the match and staying in the Adelphi and nearby. So spending the Saturday night in the company of Aldo, Whelan and Beglin is a great way to begin your trip.
 
"The capacity is 450. The number has been capped at that because we don't want to completely take over the hotel.
 
"Some of those tickets have already been sold but we are having an open day at The Adelphi where fans can come along and buy more. It should be a great night, hopefully followed by another win over United the following day. What a weekend that would be."
 
Anyone interest in attending can buy tickets priced at £20 - including a buffet.
 
You can purchase yours by contacting Ed on 00353861215677 (email: edfitz@hotmail.com) or Marcus on 00353857589630 (marcusmaher70@gmail.com).
 
There will also be an opportunity to purchase tickets at the Adelphi Hotel in Liverpool on Friday, October 16, from midday until 6pm.